02 June 2011

Pagsanjan Falls

For all you travelers to Laguna, you can read all the blogs you want. Yes, for a while the official rate to get to Magdapio Falls of Cavinti Laguna, better known as Pagsanjan Falls, was P1000. In fact, you may see signs in Pagsanjan and Cavinti that breakdown all the fees and taxes that get you to P1000. However, that's no longer the current rate, and well, they haven't collected enough taxes to change the signs yet.

Unless you are looking to hook up with a young, dark and handsome accredited boat man that will run along side your bus or van attempting to solicit your business, I would suggest setting your course directly for the Pagsanjan Municipio. You can ask the OIC of the tourism desk what the standard fee is and which resorts you can go to to board a boat from without incurring extra fees. We did not do have to do this when I was a child. But of course, Pagsanjan didn't have thousands of unemployed, accredited boatmen waiting for you to embark to the Falls in their boat.

Is Pagsanjan still worth it? Absolutely. Nevertheless, if you are expecting Niagara Falls and you don't appreciate looking at nature, you may want to skip the trip because the journey through the narrow river valley to the falls is 95% of the experience. Get it?